Apr262012

Woodstock Xbox Streaming Music Service Will Run on non-Microsoft Mobile Devices, Preview at E3

Microsoft may be planning to unveil a new stremaing music service that complement to the current Zune Music platform at E3. The new service, code named “Woodstock”, would replace the current but neglected Zune music service, and run under the Xbox brand, according to the Verge.

Woodstock seems to be the Spotify-like service Microsoft has been working on for the past several months. According to the sources, Woodstock will be a cross-platform play, available to Windows 8, Xbox, non-Microsoft devices and phones, too including: Android, and iOS users — playable from a browser.

Verge reveals, “Previously described as “Spotify-like”, the service won’t require any browser plugins and is said to integrate deeply with Facebook, allowing friends to build group playlists and share tracks. An additional “scan and match” function, similar to iTunes Match, is also being tested as part of Woodstock to allow users to identify their existing music collection in the service. Although Microsoft will preview the service at E3 — barring any last-minute changes in its plans, of course — it is not expected to launch until later this year alongside Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 devices.”

“Zune Music and Zune Video already are on Xbox and act as “channels,” or apps on Xbox, alongside third-party apps like last.fm, Netflix, etc. The idea with Woodstock is to add ad-supported streaming to these existing Zune services, according to one of my contacts who asked not to be named. The Zune Music and add-on Woodstock streaming service are all expected at some point in the not-too-distant future to finally be renamed as Xbox-something,” writes MJF on ZDNet.

The Microsoft Music app preview that debuted along with the Windows 8 Consumer Preview also sounds like it will become part of Microsoft’s evolving Xbox-something music platform.

And there will be a browser-based version of the Woodstock streaming service, too, reveals MJF. (Maybe this explains in part why there’s no Windows Media Player built into coming Windows RT tablets. Users will be expected to rely on the Woodstock streaming service for their music content, perhaps.)

Deepak Gupta is a IT & Web Consultant. He is the founder and CEO of diTii.com & DIT Technologies, where he's engaged in providing Technology Consultancy, Design and Development of Desktop, Web and Mobile applications using various tools and softwares. Sign-up for the Email for daily updates. Google+ Profile.